Finding Friendship
by stormchaser34neo
Summary: When Kakashi is returned to Konoha near death and being hunted, it's up to the jounin, Iruka, and Team 7 to protect him and make sure he knows that frineds are behind him.
1. Finding Friendship

Iruka had been grading papers when the news had come in. He was growling over another of Konohamaru's failing tests when the ANBU came.

"Iruka-sensei, Hokage-sama has summoned you. We must go now, and quickly." He grabbed Iruka's arm. Startled and dreading, Iruka nodded. A few hand signs later and they were in the hospital. Tsunade was waiting for them. She dismissed the ANBU with a wave of her hand and dragged Iruka through the hospital, explaining as she did so.

"It's Kakashi. He's dying Iruka, and faster than I can stop him. I need you, you and anyone else who you think can get through to him. Otherwise we'll lose him." She lead him into a room, and Iruka could have died right then and there. It was Kakashi, bleeding and unconscious. Tsunade had already healed the major wounds, but Iruka knew that if Kakashi didn't come back, that it would be pointless to heal the rest of them.

He collapsed next to the bed, taking his lover's hand. He'd never seen Kakashi this bad. Despite the healing, Iruka could still see a faint scar across the copy-nin's neck. Someone had slit his throat, hoping to end him quickly. The jagged path marked it as an attack, not mercy. He heard himself speaking, calling to his love. But Kakashi needed someone stronger right now, someone who knew wounds on such a grand scale.

"Send for Gai-sensei!" He cried to Tsunade. "And…" he hesitated, but it might work. "And Team 7." Loath though he was to let the genin see their sensei like this, he knew that it might be enough to reach Kakashi. Where ever he was hidden in himself. The Hokage nodded, and left as fast as she could.

"Come on, 'Kashi-kun." He breathed, fighting tears. "Come back to us. We can't lose you, not when we've lost so many other's precious to us. Not now, please not now." He breathed his last sentence like a mantra, trying to let his strength and love flow into the jounin beside him. He could **not** lose Kakashi now. Team 7 could not lose Kakashi now. And, frighteningly clear to Iruka in this moment, _Konoha_ could not afford to lose Kakashi now.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura's voice, terrified and breaking, came from behind her. She knew about them, was aware of their relationship. The genin held Kakashi's hand with Iruka, both silently trying to reach their sensei and friend. Tears were quick to pour from those green eyes as she leaned against Iruka for comfort. Iruka warped an arm around her shoulder, holding the young genin as she sobbed.

A blue-black form on Iruka's other side signaled the arrival of Sasuke. The young Uchiha also knew of his teacher's relationship, Sakura having told him the instant she found out. The academy instructor saw the trembling hands reach out to join their clasp on Kakashi, could see Sasuke's ill-concealed panic. This had to be what it was like for him that night, and now he was facing it again. The boy leaned against Iruka, silently seeking comfort as he gripped Kakashi's hand with Iruka. He would not cry, but misted over eyes told Iruka how close the genin was to it.

Small hands wrapping around his waist told Iruka that Naruto was here. The orange-clad boy could barely look at his jounin-instructor, and was already sobbing. Iruka gently removed his hand from Sakura's shoulder to bring Naruto forward. The yellow haired ninja slowly clasped his hands with the others, responding to Iruka's whispered, "He needs you, Naruto."

They sat like that for a few minutes more, until Gai came. He took Kakashi's other hand, staring in grieved horror at his friend and rival. "Kakashi.." Was all the other jounin could say, gripping the copy-nin's hand tightly. Iruka was about to speak when someone else entered the room, fast as he could. It was Anko. The woman knelt next to Gai, wide-eyed. Iruka was about to ask where she'd come from when the room was suddenly growing crowded.

Genma, Raidou, Ebisu, Jirayia, Asuma, Kurenai, Ibiki, Kotetsu, and Izumo came in. The jounin crowded around the small bed, gripping Kakashi's hands and arms. Each considered the copy-nin a friend and each were doing their best to reach out to him. Leaning against each other for comfort and support, the shinobi of Konoha, genin, chuunin, and Jounin alike stood strong for their friend and comrade.


	2. Finding Friendship 2

Tsunade came in about an hour later. She stood, amazed, at the shinobi around Kakashi. Her expression would have been comical, if not for the gravity of the situation. She pushed her way through them, leaning over Kakashi. The ninja quickly moved backward, giving her room to work. She ran through small, searching jutsus, healing wounds and checking Kakashi's vital signs. The group watched with bated breath as their Hokage worked her specialty on the copy-nin. A moment later, though it seemed like an eternity for those watching, Tsunade stepped back.

They mobbed her in an instant. _Was he going to be okay? What happened? What could they do? Who did it? Where were they? Could they go after them? Would they let this go unpunished?_ Finally, she threw her hands in the air. "QUIET!" There was, of course, immediate silence.

"Kakashi will, for the moment, be alright. He was ambushed by Sound Ninja coming back from a mission. You've already done more than enough. As I said before, it was Sound Ninja. I don't know where they are. And if they come near Konoha or our ninja's again, all of your, minus the genin, may go after them. Satisfied?"

There was a general nodding of heads as the shinobi considered her answers. Then, Ibiki raised his hand slowly. There was little that could frighten the torture specialist, but Tsunade in full annoyed Hokage mode could frighten anyone.

"So, Kakashi is going to be ok, then? Will he be al right in the long run?"

Tsunade was about to answer him when a small, quiet groan came from the bed. Once again, Tsunade was pushed past as the shinobi gathered around the vaguely conscious Kakashi. Iruka was let forward, grabbing his lovers hand.

"'Kashi? Can you here me." The chuunin's voice was soft and gentle, slowly guiding the copy-nin back to consciousness. The entire room lightened as Kakashi opened his eyes, meeting Iruka's worried gaze.

"Ruka?" The question was weak, the voice exhausted and pained. But _**alive**_!

"I'm here, Kashi-kun. We all are." With a sweep of his hand he indicated the crowd of shinobi. On cue they all pushed forward, circling the bed to get a look at the now alive copy-nin. The relief was tangible, and Iruka saw the genin trembling slightly with the tension release. He was getting strange glances from Sasuke and Sakura, which meant that he would owe them an explanation later. Naruto was, of course, oblivious. Blessedly quiet, but oblivious.

"Yo." Came the weary greeting, bringing tentative smiles to the room. Then Kakashi slipped back into a healing slumber, signaling that he would be alright, but needed rest.

The jounin left the room quietly, all taking places outside the room. Tsunade watched them go, knowing that if, and probably when, the two sound ninja came back to finish the job, they would be surprised. Few could survive an all out furious attack by many of Konoha's elite. The genin followed, Sasuke dragging Naruto out. The orange-clad boy wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but Sakura and Sasuke would not tell him, and they wanted to join the guard outside.

Iruka watched them go. He could almost guarantee that Kakashi wasn't aware of so many friends to his name. He would have to speak with him about that. But right now he simply wanted to sit here, and listen to the quiet breathing of his lover.


	3. Fiending Friendship 3

Iruka had been sitting next for Kakashi for what seemed like hours. He was seriously considering putting his head down and sleeping when he heard a noise behind him. Sasuke and Sakura were standing there expectantly. They had a pretty good idea of what was going on, but they wanted confirmation. The academy teacher sighed, standing to face them.

"Iruka-sensei, are you going out with Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura's eyes lit with wonder at it. "That's wonderful!" She practically squealed at the thought, which was wonderful. "It's great that you and Kakashi-sensei both found love!" Iruka blushed, rubbing the back of his head.

"It could be worse." Sasuke grumbled, his own way of agreeing with Sakura. They stood in a moment of clear understanding, happy to see that the others were happy.

"Well, I guess you two should.." Iruka never finished. A commotion raced through out the corridor as Sound ninja burst into appearance. The jounin, weapons already drawn, were ready for them. Naruto was sent flying back into the room, caught by Iruka. He was about to tell them to get against the far wall when three more Sound ninja burst in through the window.

Iruka acted on instinct, whipping out three shurikan and blocking their progress for a second. That gave The genin and chuunin the chance they needed. Sasuke raced forward, fire Justus already springing to lip and hand. Sakura threw her kunia's accurate and deadly. More ninja were coming in, and meeting Naruto's clones. Iruka created his own clones and took out those not yet through the window. There didn't seem to be many shinobi there, but he could here the jounin taking out many more than they were.

The four of them heaved the bodies of their enemies back out the window, taking guard positions around Kakashi's bed. The jounin seemed to have stopped, and all was quiet. Sasuke was tense, chakra ready to flow into fire jutsus. Thankfully, no more came.

Slowly the jounin trickled back in. None were terribly wounded, nothing that rest, bandages, and a little boasting wouldn't cure. They gathered once more around Kakashi's bed, this time in a protective circle. The feeling of satisfied vengeance almost made Iruka smile. Kakashi would be annoyed when he awoke. But that's what friends were for. And the rest of the night they stood there, guarding their friend. For there is no better thing than finding friendship in a time of need.


End file.
